Prof. Derek P. Royal

ENG 522 – Major Figures in American Literature

Events in Patrimony: A True Story

Key: P – Present events taking place during course of Herman’s illness

M – Memory events, recollections from the past

D – Descriptive events

Chapter 1 – “Well, What Do You Think?”

P – Herman diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, Philip goes to FL to see him

P – Back in NJ, Herman diagnosed with brain tumor

P – Philip accidentally drives to his mother’s cemetary

Chapter 2 – “Mommy, Mommy, Where Are You, Mommy?”

D – Herman’s life as a widower

P – Philip goes to Herman’s apartment to tell him about the tumor, while there sees the shaving mug

M – Seth Roth’s shaving mug as a link to things father didn’t give away in the past

M – Day of Bess’s funeral

M – Bess’s death at the seafood restaurant, Herman running away in the hospital, recollection of the two taking a walk earlier in the day

M – Herman and Bess when Herman went into retirement, the talk about divorce Bess has with Philip the summer before her death

M – Three months after Bess’s death, Philip takes Herman to Jewish Federation Plaza

M – First winter after Bess’s death, Herman in FL with Bill Weber

Chapter 3 – “Will I Be a Zombie?”

P - Philip tells Herman about the tumor

P – Recalls family’s health history

D – Herman’s relationship with Lil

P – Philip goes for walk with Herman and Lil

P – Herman gives back gifts, gets rid of tefillin

M – The night after Bess’s death, Philip sleeps with father, gets annoying phone calls

P – Philip wants his patrimony, the shaving mug; Herman recalls his old friends

P – Herman remembers the past

P – Herman sees Dr. Meyerson, a brain surgeon

P – Back at Herman’s apartment, he “hocks”; gives Philip the shaving mug

Chapter 4 – “I Have to Start Living Again”

P – Philip Calls Joanna, a Polish friend

P – Herman sees Dr. Benjamin, second surgeon for a second opinion

M – Philip calls his father in October 1986 (two years earlier) after watching a Mets game

P – A Month and a half after meeting with Benjamin, both uncertain what to do about tumor; talk with Juvin

Chapter 5 – “Maybe Ingrid Can Look after Me for Good”

P – Herman goes in for a biopsy

P – In the taxi, Philip talks with parricidal driver with green eyes

P – Herman gets the biopsy, and later the results

P – Herman goes to stay with Philip and Claire in CT; has trouble moving his bowels

P – Philip cleans up his father’s shit

P – Philip helps Herman with bathing

M – anti-Semitism and Philip’s correspondence with CEO of Metropolitan Life, the previous fall

P – Herman leaves CT home; on drive to hospital Philip and Herman discuss Ingrid

Chapter 6 – “They Fought Because They Were Fighters, and They Fought Because They Were Jews”

P – Next year, in March, Herman’s condition worsens; Philip discusses Jewish boxers and the living will

P – At dinner a few weeks later (in May), Philip meets Walter Herrmann

P – Herman deteriorates, has trouble swallowing; Philip has bypass surgery

P – Herman dies (October 1989)

P – Philip has two dreams